Willmer M. "Little Axe" Broadnax (December 28, 1916 Broadnax was assigned female at birth, a fact which was only discovered upon his death and leads to confusion surrounding his early life.
Although Willmer was the oldest of the three Broadnax children, most sources state that Willmer was the younger of the two brothers.
The fact that the identifiers "step-son" and "male" for Armatha are crossed out and corrected as "daughter" and "female" on the 1930 census may indicate that eight-year-old Armatha presented as male, and was initially perceived as such by the census taker. As Armatha Broadnax is unmentioned after the 1930 census, it is possible Armatha took on Willmer's name after his death and truly was William's younger sibling. This would mean that Willmer Broadnax as known today was born in 1922 in Louisiana to Augustus Flowers and Gussie Frazier.
Career
Broadnax began his career as a gospel singer during his teenage years with his brother William as a member of the St. Paul Gospel Singers in Houston in the 1930s.
The brothers eventually broke off to form their own quartet, Little Axe and the Golden Echoes. Although William eventually left for Atlanta, where he joined the Five Trumpets, Willmer stayed on as lead singer throughout the 1940s. In 1949 the group, augmented by future member of The Soul Stirrers Paul Foster, recorded a single of "When the Saints Go Marching In" for Specialty Records. Label chief Art Rupe decided to drop them before they could record a follow-up, and shortly thereafter the Golden Echoes disbanded.
Later years and death
Broadnax was killed in 1992 by his lover Lavina Richardson (who was age 42 at the time), who was later found guilty of involuntary manslaughter on February 4, 1993. Leading up to the stabbing, Broadnax had allegedly been jealous of Richardson. Broadnax saw Richardson in a vehicle with another man, bumped his car into theirs, and dragged Richardson out. He then threatened her with a knife before he was disarmed by a bystander, whereupon Richardson picked up his knife and stabbed him three times. Broadnax died from his injuries several days later on June 1, 1992.
Upon Broadnax's death in 1992, it was discovered that Broadnax was a trans man.
- American Pop / Gospel's Golden Age, Volume 3 (1945 - 1959), Collector Records, 2012
The Spirit of Memphis Quartet
- Make More Room For Jesus / Calvary, King Records, 1950
- How Far Am I From Canaan / I'll Never Forget, King Records, 1950
- On The Battlefield / Jesus, Jesus, King Records, 1950
- Days Past And Gone/Blessed Are The Dead, King Records, 1950
- Tell Heaven I'm Coming / Ten Commandments, King Records, 1951
- Sign Of The Judgement / Every Time I Feel The Spirit, King Records, 1951
- The World Prayer / Every Day And Every Hour, King Records, 1951
- Lord Jesus Part 1 / Lord Jesus Part 2, King Records, 1952
The Fairfield Four
- Come Over Here/Who Is That Knocking, Dot Records, 1953
- His Eye Is on the Sparrow/Every Day, Dot Records, 1953
- How I Got Over/This Evening Our Father, Dot Records, 1953
- Stand by Me/Hear Me When I Pray, Dot Records, 1953
- When The Battle Is Over/Standing on the Rock, Dot Records, 1953
- Somebody Touched Me/Mother Don't Worry, Dot Records, 1953
The Five Blind Boys of Mississippi
- Precious Memories, Peacock Records, 1960
- I Call On Jesus / Time To Think About The Lord, Peacock Records, 1960
- I Never Heard A Man, Peacock Records, 1960
- Sending Up My Timber, Peacock Records, 1961
- Can't Serve The Lord / Constantly Abiding, Peacock Records, 1961
- Five Blind Boys* / Spirit Of Memphis - Negro Spirituals, Peacock Records, 1961
- Father I Stretched My Hands To Thee / Lord Remember Me, Peacock Records, 1962
- I Got It Within Me / The Tide Of Life, Peacock Records, 1962
- You Done What The Doctor Couldn't Do / Speak For Jesus, Peacock Records, 1963
- Just A Little While / Servant's Prayer, Peacock Records, 1963
- Something To Shout About / Leaning On Jesus, Peacock Records, 1964
- Father I Stretch My Hand to Thee, Peacock Records, 1964
- Lift The Savior Up / In The Hands Of The Lord, Peacock Records, 1965
- My Soul Is A Witness / Love Lifted Me, Peacock Records, 1970
- Oh Well, What Can You Do / I Have But One Desire, Peacock Records, 1974
Compilations
- So Many Years, Jubilee Records, 1989